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| Breast cancer: Symptoms and causes |
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the
most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Breast cancer can
occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women.
Substantial support for breast cancer awareness and research funding has helped create advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer survival rates have increased, and the number of deaths associated with this disease is steadily declining, largely due to factors such as earlier detection, a new personalized approach to treatment, and a better understanding of the disease.
Symptoms of Breast cancer
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer may
include:
- A breast lump or
thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue
- Change in the
size, shape, or appearance of a breast
- Changes to the
skin over the breast, such as dimpling
- A newly inverted
nipple
- Peeling,
scaling, crusting, or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the
nipple (areola) or breast skin
- Redness or
pitting of the skin over your breast, like the skin of an orange
When to see a doctor
If you find a lump or other change in your
breast — even if a recent mammogram was normal — make an appointment with your
doctor for prompt evaluation.
Causes of Breast cancer
Doctors
know that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally.
These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to
accumulate, forming a lump or mass. Cells may spread (metastasize) through your
breast to your lymph nodes or to other parts of your body.
Breast
cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (invasive
ductal carcinoma). Breast cancer may also begin in the glandular tissue called
lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue within the
breast.
Researchers
have identified hormonal, lifestyle, and environmental factors that may increase
your risk of breast cancer. But it's not clear why some people who have no risk
factors develop cancer, yet other people with risk factors never do. It's
likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex interaction of your genetic
makeup and your environment.
Inherited breast cancer
Doctors
estimate that about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene
mutations passed through generations of a family.
A number
of inherited mutated genes that can increase the likelihood of breast cancer
have been identified. The most well-known are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and
breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which significantly increase the risk of
both breast and ovarian cancer.
Suppose you have a strong family history of breast cancer or other cancers. In that case, your doctor may
recommend a blood test to help identify specific mutations in BRCA or other
genes that are being passed through your family.
Consider
asking your doctor for a referral to a genetic counselor, who can review your
family health history. A genetic counselor can also discuss the benefits, risks, and limitations of genetic testing to assist you with shared decision-making.
Risk factors
A breast cancer risk factor is anything
that makes it more likely you'll get breast cancer. But having one or even
several breast cancer risk factors doesn't necessarily mean you'll develop
breast cancer. Many women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors
other than simply being women.
Factors that are associated with an
increased risk of breast cancer include:
- Being female. Women are
much more likely than men to develop breast cancer.
- Increasing age. Your risk
of breast cancer increases as you age.
- A personal
history of breast conditions. If you've had a breast biopsy that found
lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia of the breast,
you have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- A personal
history of breast cancer. If you've had breast cancer in one breast,
you have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast.
- A family history
of breast cancer. If your mother, sister, or daughter was
diagnosed with breast cancer, particularly at a young age, your risk of
breast cancer is increased. Still, the majority of people diagnosed with
breast cancer have no family history of the disease.
- Inherited genes
that increase cancer risk. Certain gene mutations that increase the
risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most
well-known gene mutations are referred to as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes
can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but
they don't make cancer inevitable.
- Radiation
exposure. If you received radiation treatments to
your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is
increased.
- Obesity. Being
obese increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning your
period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12
increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning
menopause at an older age. If you begin menopause at an older age,
you're more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Having your
first child at an older age. Women who give birth to their first child
after age 30 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Having never
been pregnant. Women who have never been pregnant have a
greater risk of breast cancer than women who have had one or more
pregnancies.
- Postmenopausal
hormone therapy. Women who take hormone therapy medications
that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of
menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast
cancer decreases when women stop taking these medications.
- Drinking
alcohol. Drinking
alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer.
Prevention of Breast cancer
Breast cancer risk reduction for women with an average risk
Making
changes in your daily life may help reduce your risk of breast cancer. Try to:
- Ask your doctor about breast cancer screening.
Discuss with your doctor when to begin
breast cancer screening exams and tests, such as clinical breast exams and
mammograms.Talk to
your doctor about the benefits and risks of screening. Together, you can decide
what breast cancer screening strategies are right for you.
- Become familiar with your breasts through a breast
self-exam for breast awareness.
Women may
choose to become familiar with their breasts by occasionally inspecting
their breasts during a breast self-exam for breast awareness. If there is
a new change, lumps, or other unusual signs in your breasts, talk to your
doctor promptly.Breast
awareness can't prevent breast cancer, but it may help you to better understand
the normal changes that your breasts undergo and identify any unusual signs and
symptoms.
-
Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no
more than one drink a day if you choose to drink.- Exercise most days of the week.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on
most days of the week. If you haven't been active lately, ask your doctor
whether it's OK and start slowly.- Limit postmenopausal hormone therapy.
Combination hormone therapy may increase
the risk of breast cancer. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and
risks of hormone therapy.Some women
experience bothersome signs and symptoms during menopause and, for these women,
the increased risk of breast cancer may be acceptable in order to relieve
menopause signs and symptoms.
To reduce
the risk of breast cancer, use the lowest dose of hormone therapy possible for
the shortest amount of time.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
If your weight is healthy, work to maintain
that weight. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy
strategies. Reduce the number of calories you eat each
day and slowly increase the amount of exercise.- Choose a healthy diet.
Women who eat a Mediterranean diet
supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts may have a reduced
risk of breast cancer. The Mediterranean diet focuses mostly on plant-based
foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
People who follow the Mediterranean diet choose healthy fats, such as
olive oil, over butter, and fish instead of red meat.
Breast cancer risk reduction for women with high-risk
If your
doctor has assessed your family history and determined that you have other
factors, such as a precancerous breast condition, that increase your risk of
breast cancer, you may discuss options to reduce your risk, such as:
- Preventive medications (chemoprevention).
Estrogen-blocking medications, such as
selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors, reduce
the risk of breast cancer in women with a high risk of the disease.These
medications carry a risk of side effects, so doctors reserve these medications
for women who have a very high risk of breast cancer. Discuss the benefits and
risks with your doctor.
- Preventive surgery.
Women with a very high risk of breast
cancer may choose to have their healthy breasts surgically removed
(prophylactic mastectomy). They may also choose to have their healthy
ovaries removed (prophylactic oophorectomy) to reduce the risk of both
breast cancer and ovarian cancer.Would your friends be interested? Share this story!
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